Cleaning tool



Oct. 28, 1969 E. L. YOUNG 3,474,480

CLEANING TOOL Filed March 28, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l N V ENTOR.

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7 CLEANING TOOL Filed March 28, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

EDWARD L. YOUNG jlmozmgm ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,474,480 CLEANING TOOL Edward L. Young, 415 Maity Road, Galloway, Ohio 43119 Filed Mar. 28, 1968, Ser. No. 725,246 Int. Cl. A471 13/46 US. Cl. 15-114 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cleaning tool having a flexible cleaning pad provided with oppositely disposed cleaning faces and a handle rotatably mounted to the pad to enable the user to use either face of the pad. The cleaning pad comprises two separate pieces of material joined together at confronting surfaces and unique handle mounting means is attached to one of the confronting surfaces and is completely enclosed when the other piece of material is bonded in position to the first piece of material.

The present invention relates generally to cleaning tools and particularly to an improved cleaning tool adapted to clean flat or irregular surfaces in an efficient manner.

In general the cleaning tool of the present invention comprises a flexible pad having two oppositely disposed cleaning faces, preferably each of a different texture, such as a scrubbing face and a wiping or drying face. A handle means is provided which is rotatably mounted in a simple, yet unique manner on the pad to enable the user to use either face of the pad.

Many prior art cleaning tools have been devised with oppositely disposed faces and with rotatable handles, yet most are of relatively complex and expensive construction. In addition, these prior art tools are not suitable in particular for cleaning irregular surfaces, such as the inside surface of automobile Windshields or other convex or concave surfaces.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning tool of the type described wherein two different cleaning faces are provided on one tool having a single handle and wherein the cleaning faces are flexible in nature to enable the efficient cleaning of flat or irregular surfaces.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cleaning tool of the type described wherein the mounting of the handle on the pad aids the user in reaching relatively difficult areas and yet offers minimum interference to the overall flexibility of the cleaning faces.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cleaning tool of the type described wherein the construction of the pad and handle is relatively simple and inexpensive as compared to prior art devices.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred forms of embodiments of the invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a cleaning tool constructed in accordance with the present invention with a portion of the cleaning pad being shown partially removed;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 illustrating an alternate handle means construction and placement of the mounting means;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 with the alternate position of the handle means being shown in dotted lines.

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Referring in detail to the drawings, a cleaning tool constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 and includes a cleaning pad, indicated generally at 20, which includes two oppositely disposed cleaning faces 22 and 24 bonded to one another with a suitable bonding agent such as the contact cement manufactured commercially by the Borden Company and named Instant Bond.

A scrubbing face 24 preferably comprises a relatively firm, yet flexible, piece of plastic material, one surface of which is provided with a plurality of brush-like projections. Wiping face 22 preferably comprises a piece of flexible material such as a synthetic sponge.

A handle mounting means 26, in the form of a pair of elongated strips of relatively rigid material, are secured to the plain surface 28 of face 24, preferably by a suitable bonding agent, and are provided with rolled end portions 30 which serve as bearings for the handle means to be described later herein.

Mounting means 26 are aligned adjacent to the end of a respective slot 32 provided in face 24 with rolled end portions 30 being disposed flush with or extending slightly over the longitudinal edge 34 of a respective slot 32.

A generally U-shaped handle means, indicated generally at 36, includes a pair of substantially parallel extending wing portions 38. Wing portions 38 are provided with inturned end portions 30 which are rotatably mounted in rolled edge portions 40 of mounting means 26. Preferably, handle means 36 is constructed of resilient material such that wing portions 38 and inturned end portions 40 are biased inwardly toward one another thereby tending to remain in rolled edge portions 40.

Referring specifically to FIG. 2, a modified handle mounting arrangement is shown, the difference being that mounting means 26-A are disposed on the outer edges 34A of slots 32-A and wing portions 38-A are provided with out-turned end portions 40-A which are biased outwardly away from one another.

It is important to point out that the handle mounting arrangement of the present invention is not only extremely simple and inexpensive to fabricate but also does not materially interfere with the flexibility of cleaning pad 20. This is particularly important when irregular surfaces, such as concave or convex surfaces, are encountered or when diflicult corners or other not readily accessible areas are being cleaned.

In operation, for example, in cleaning the inside surfaces of automobile windows and Windshields, the user merely wets the fine brush-like surface 24 with a suitable cleaning fluid and begins to wash and scrub the windshield.

It should be pointed out that the handle means permits the user relatively easy access to particularly the lower edge portion of the windshield where the top of the dashboard generally interferes with access to the users hand. Since the handle is rotatably mounted, substantially the total area of the face 24 contacts the windshield surface. Further, since the pad is flexible there is less difliculty in cleaning the areas toward each of the outer ends of the windshield which are pronouncedly concave.

Once the entire area has been thoroughly scrubbed, the user simply rotates handle means 36 through slots 32 and proceeds to wipe the surface being cleaned with the sponge-like face 22. It should be pointed out that any soft absorbent material could also be used on face 22 without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

It should also be pointed out that the construction of cleaning pad 22 permits a larger cleaning surface to be presented to the surface being cleaned when being worked on irregular surfaces or tight fitting areas. Further, since the handle mounting means is completely imbedded within the pad 22, there are no hard or sharp edges that might scratch or otherwise mar woodwork or walls, for example, adjacent to the area immediately being cleaned.

Of course, fiat surfaces may be readily cleaned with the cleaning tool of the present invention, and a relatively large efiicient cleaning surface is provided without destroying the capacity of cleaning hard to reach areas.

It is also important to point out that the length and width of rigid strip 26 could be adjusted relative to the overall size of pad 22 to provide for a relatively larger and more firm working area toward the middle portion of pad 22 immediately adjacent to said strips. This would permit somewhat greater pressure to be applied over a larger area of the pad while maintaining the greater flexibility toward the outer edge portions of the pad.

While the forms of the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A cleaning tool comprising, in combination, a flexible backing material having a bristled cleaning surface and a flexible water absorbent material secured to said backing material along confronting surfaces to form a flexible pad; handle mounting means attached to one of said confronting surfaces; a pair of substantially parallel slots extending through said pad; and a substantially U-shaped handle means including substantially parallel extending wing portions provided with end portions turned at substantially right angles thereto and rotatably mounted in said mounting means, said wing portions being aligned to pass through said slots upon rotation of said handle means.

2. The tool defined in claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a bearing member disposed adjacent to a respective one of said slots; and wherein a respective one of said turned end portions is biased to remain mounted within a respective bearing member.

3. A cleaning tool comprising, in combination, a flexible backing material having a bristled cleaning surface and a flexible, water absorbent material secured to said backing material along confronting surfaces to form a flexible cleaning pad; slot means extending through said pad; handle mounting means including a pair of bearing members attached to one of said confronting surfaces and disposed adjacent to opposite edges of said slot means; and a substantially U-shaped handle means including substantially parallel extending wing portions provided with end portions turned at substantially right angles to the remainder of said wing portions, each of said end portions being rotatably mounted in a respective one of said bearing members and said wing portions being aligned to pass through said slot means upon rotation of said handle means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 613,683 11/1898 Kemp. 1,112,190 9/1914 Beazley 15229.2 XR 1,563,829 12/1925 Brown 15114 1,679,392 8/1928 Applin 15209.51 2,796,617 6/1957 Bradshaw 15244 XR 2,867,832 l/1959 Hanninen l5-144 XR 3,274,635 9/1966 Myers 15244 DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 15-144, 244 

